Spark intensifier



Sept. 30, 1924. 1,510,166

M. VAN LEUVEN SPARK INTENS IFIER Filed April 1, 1922 314mm oz Mali/0e U502 leaven,

Patented Sept. 39, i924.

stares SPARK INTENSIFIER.

Application filed April 1,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, MONROE VAN LEUVEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Redlands, in the county of San Bernardino and State of California, have invented a new and useful Spark intensifier, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a spark intensifier for use in connection with the ignition systems of internal combustion engines and it has for its object to provide an improved device of this character constructed in such manner as to necessitate the employment of but a few simple and inexpensive parts and serving in use to increase the intensity of the spark in a highly efficient manner as will be hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a spark intensifier showing the same applied to a spark plug;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the intensifier; and Fig. 4c is a view like Fig. 2 but illustrating the parts in position to form a double spark gap.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

The intensifier of the present invention comprises two spaced plates 5 and 6 of any suitable insulating material, such as fiber composition, hard rubber or the like. Carbon discs 7 and 8 are held between the plates 5 and 6 by screws 9 and 10, the disc 7 being concentrically mounted upon its screw 9 and the disc 8. being eccentrically mounted upon its screw 10. A strap or bar 11 of any suitable metal, such as brass, connects the screw 9 with the positive electrode 12 of the spark plug 13 and is held in engagement therewith by the binding nut 14 in a usual and well known way. A nut 15 threaded upon the lower end of the screw 9 serves to bind the strap 11 against movement after the parts have been adjusted as hereinafter described. The conducting wire 16 from the ignition system of the engine, not shown, is provided with a terminal 17, which terminal is, in turn, engaged with the screw 10 through the medium of nut 18. A nut 19 is threaded upon the screw beneath the terininal 17 and said terminal is bound between the nuts 18 and '19. It is manifest that by turning the eccentrically mounted disc 8 a gap of suitable extent may be created be- 1922. Serial No. 548,760.

tween the discs 7 and 8 and that the current in order to reach the spark plug 13 from the conductor 16, must leap this gap, the path of the current being from terminal 17 through screw 10, disc 8, across the gap, through disc 7, screw 9 and strap 11 to the positive electrode 12 of the spark plug.

It is a well known fact that the interposition of a gap in a line of this sort intensifies the spark by holding back or checking the current until its force becomes such as to cause it to leap the gap. As before stated, the eccentric mounting of the disc 8 permits adjustment of the gap but rotation of the disc 8 also serves the further useful purpose of bringing fresh portions of the carbon disc 8 to the gap. In like manner rotation of the disc 7 about its axis presents fresh portions of the edge of this disc to the gap.

1 am aware of the fact that devices have heretofore been employed utilizing concentrically and eccentrically mounted discs but the present invention is of increased utility over anything with which I am familiar for the reason that these carbon discs do not pit or corrode under the heat of the spark across the gap and consequently the device will last indefinitely.

Furthermore by virtue of the construction herein shown and described, it am enabled to get a double gap structure, in that by swinging the plates 5 and 6 around upon the screw 9, the nut 14: may be brought close to the periphery of the disc 8. Under these circumstances two gaps are provided, one gap being between the periphery of the disc 8 and the periphery of the nut 14:: and the other gap being between the two discs 7 and 8. Thus if the spark should fa l at one gap it will take place at the other and certainty of firing of the plug is insured. H the gaps are properly adjusted firing will occur across both of them.

lntensifiers constructed in accordance with the invention have been given severe tests over long periods of time and it has been found that water, oil or any other substances cannot prevent the intensifier from functioning by collecting on the intensifier itself. The device is practically unbreakable and will last a life time. Its use keeps the carbon in the cylinders down to a minimum and results in burning all fuel cleaner than would be the case if the intensifier were not used. lit prevents burning oil of the are make foul and dirty plugs fire under conditions which would absolutely prevent firingdof such plugs if the intensifier were not us It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim'is:

A device of the character described comprising a pairof spaced plates of insulating material, a pair of carbon discs there-between, metallic elements traversing the discs and the plates and binding them together, one of said discs being eccentrically mounted upon its metallic element, means for attaching an electric wire to one of said metallic elements and a metallic strap mounted upon the other of said metallic elements, and being provided with means for binding it against movement thereon, said strap being adapted to engage the central terminal of a spark plug and being of such length as to permit movement of the carbon disc to the metallic element of which the electric wire is attached to a point sufliciently near the spark plug to create a secondary gap at that point.

MONROE VAN LEUVEN. 

